Dispenser



July 10, 1934. R. H. WENTORF DI SPENSER Filed March 1, 1935 Z/ a X 47 a INVENTOR.

Patented July 10, 1934 UNITED STATES DISPENSER Robert H. Wentorf, West Bend, Wis., assignor to West Bend Aluminum Company, West Bend, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application March 1, 1933,, Serial 110,659,151

3 Claims. (01. 221-108) This invention relates to an improvement in dispensing containers which may be advantageously used in dispensing measured quantities of cofiee although also capable of equally advanta- 5 geous use with various other materials and substances.

One of the objects of the invention. is to provide a dispensing container of simple, compact construction, of neat and attractive appearance and 'yet capable of being readily and conven- .26 and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in transverse vertical section illustrating a dispensing container embodying .the present invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are views'in horizontal cross section taken on lines 2--2 and 33, respectively,

of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the structure as viewed from line'4-'-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a view partly inv elevation and partly broken away" and shown in section to illustrate amodified form of agitator whch may be em- .ployed.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the dispensing container comprises a cylindrical body portion 1 having its lower end portion tapering inwardly. as at 2 and terminating in a bottom 3 which may be integral with the body portion. or suitably connected thereto. The upper end of the'body portion is open and may be rolledor beaded as indicated at 4. A removable cover 5 isprovided for the open upper end and when applied may be secured in place by the interengagement oi inclined locking ribs 6 and ,7 pressed outwardly from the body portion and in wardly from the flange of the cover. A mounting bracket 8 may be attached to the, outside wall of the body portion 1 and preferably is disposed opposite a window 9 in the-body portion, which window enables the interior of, the container to be inspectedto someextent without removing the cover 5.

A shell-like housing or compartment forming member l0-is provided and has a tapered portion 11 snugly fitting over the tapered lower end 2 of the container and terminating at its. upper end in a cylindrical flange 12- which overlaps and is secured to the main portion of the container by releasable fastening devices 13 such. as bolts and nuts. The lower end of the tapered portion 11 ofv the housing is integral with a cylindrical portion 14 which, in turn, has integral therewith a bottom or end plate 1 5-. The bottom 3 of the container and the bottom 15 of the housing are parallel and in spaced relation; to define a chamber for the reception of a measuring and: ejecting wheel designated generally at 16. Preferably, a wear plate 17. is suitably secured to the bottom15 as, for example, by rivets 18, countersunk in the top surface ofthewearplate. This enables the housing to be-made of material such asaluminum which may be readily drawn and yet gives the structure the capacity to stand up under the wearing action of the rotating measuring and ejecting wheel: 16;.

As will be understood f-romFigures 1, 3 and 4, the bottom 3. is provided-with a discharge opening 20 and the bottom 15 and its wear plate 1'7. are provided with registering openings 21, the discharge openings 21- being angularly spaced from the discharge opening 20;. The margin of the discharge opening 21 in the bottom-'15: is'fianged as at 22- so: that the user may easily locate the same and may convenientlyq position a receptacle in material receiving relation thereto.

The wheel 16 has a hub 23, an annular rim 24- and v transverse-ribs or spokes 25, adjacent ribs 25 andthe portions of the hub and rim comprehended therebetween defining measuring pockets or traps 26.. As each oi these pockets passes beneath thedischarge opening 20; in the bottom. of the containerthey-arefilled with the material from. the; container, the material flowing thereinto, under ,the influence of: gravityaand, if desired, under the-influence of aneagitator. the pockets pass: beyond the discharge'opening the material therein isleveled' ofi by an edge of the discharge opening 20, so that a measured amount ofmaterial is contained in each pocket which passes by and beyond the discharge opening 20'. As the wheel continues .to rotate, .the

filled pocketcomes into registration with the discharge opening 21 and, the material. drops Itherethrough into, a receptacle held by then erator or positioned in proper relation to the discharge opening21.

' The wheel 16 constrainedv to rotation about a fixedZ axis by-having a reduced extension 27 on its -hub= interfitted: with bearing opening 28 providedv therefor in; the wear plate 17. A. washer 18 is similarly interfitted withan opening provicledatherefor in the bottom-plate- 15 and isappropriately secured: bymeans of a screw 2'9 to the hub23- so as tdmaintain the wheel down on the wear plate but, of course, in rotative engagement therewith.

For the purpose of imparting a step by step rotary movement to the wheel 16 the outer periphcry of its rim 24 is provided with ratchet teeth having the form of shoulders and inclined surfaces 31 adjacent each shoulder. A pawl 32 in the form of a substantially arcuate spring band is fitted in an annular groove 33 provided in the cylindrical portion 14 of the housing by outwardly displacing a portion thereof. One end of the spring pawl 32 is bent inwardly as at 32' and under the inherent resiliency of the metal making up the pawl is biased into engagement with the shoulders 30. A portion of the outwardly pressed part of the cylindrical section 14 of the housing 10 is cut away or slotted as indicated at 34 (see Figures 2 and 4) and operating in this slot is the attaching portions 35 of a handle 36, the portions 35 being riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the spring pawl 32 and the handle 36 extending outwardly therefrom.

By oscillating the handle 36 and consequently the pawl 32 a step by step rotary movement is imparted to the wheel. When the handle 36 and consequently the pawl 32 are moved in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2, the end portion 32 of the pawl pushes against one of the shoulders 30 and the wheel 16 is rotated in a clockwise direction to move one of the pockets 26 into registration with the discharge opening 21 and to advance the other pockets 2, similar distance in the same direction. Reverse movement of the handle 36 and of the pawl 32 causes the end 32' of the pawl to ride back up one of the inclined surfaces 31 and then to snap into engagement with the trailing shoulder 30.

Retrograde or backward movement of the wheel 16 under the slight dragging action of the end 32' of the pawl or under other influences is prevented by the provision of a spring pawl 3'7 positioned in the groove 33 and having one end secured to the wall of the groove as by rivets 38 and having its other end engageable with the teeth 30.

Usually it is desirable to provide some form of agitator to insure flow of the contents of the container through the discharge opening 20 down into the pockets 26. As illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, an agitator designated generally at 40 may be provided and such an agitator consists of a hub 41 which is fastened as by means of a screw 42 and pin 43 to the hub of the wheel 16 so as to be rotated by and from this wheel. Integral with the hub 41 are agitating blades 44 which sweep across the bottom 3 of the container as the agitator turns and consequently sweep across the discharge opening 20.

In lieu of the blade type agitator shown in Figures 1 and 3, the agitator may take the form of a bowed spring shown at 45 in Figure 5 and suitably attached as by means of a screw 43 to an extension of the hub of the wheel 16.

As will be understood, the bottom 3 is centrally apertured to provide for the attachment of the hub 41 of the agitator 40 to the hub 23 of the wheel 16 or for the projection of the extension of the hub 23 into the container.

With a dispensing container constructed in accordance with the present invention, measured quantities of the material may be conveniently and quickly dispensed by simply oscillating the handle 36. The container is not only convenient in use and easily manipulated but is so compactly and effectively organized as not to be liable to get out of order and as to be durable and efficient over long periods of use. The readily removable cover 5 provides for convenient access to the interior of the container.

While I have shown and described constructions illustrating how the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that these constructions have been selected merely for the purposes of illustration and that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A dispensing container comprising a body portion having a bottom provided with a discharge opening, a shell-like member interconnected with the lower portion of said container and coacting with the body thereof to form a compartment, said shell-like member having its lower wall formed with a discharge opening spaced angularly from the discharge opening of the bottom, a combined measuring and ejecting wheel rotatably mounted in said compartment and having a number of pockets therein adapted to pass under the discharge opening of the bottom and over the discharge opening in the lower wall of said member, said wheel having ratchet teeth on its periphery, and a manually operable pawl disposed between the periphery of said wheel and the peripheral portion of said member and having an outwardly projecting handle portion, said peripheral wall of said member having an opening through which said handle portion projects.

2. A dispensing container comprising a body portion having a bottom provided with a discharge opening, means coacting with said bottom to form a compartment, said means having a discharge opening spaced angularly from the discharge opening of the bottom and leading from the compartment to the exterior, a combined measuring and ejecting wheel rotatably mounted in said compartment and having a number of pockets therein adapted to pass under the discharge opening of the bottom and over the discharge opening of said means, said wheel having ratchet teeth on its periphery, a pawl in the form of an arcuate band interposed between the periphery of the wheel and said means and having one end engageable with the ratchet teeth, and a handle connected to the pawl, said means having a slot through which said handle projects.

3. A dispensing container comprising a body portion having a bottom provided with a discharge opening, means coacting with said bottom to form a compartment, said means having a discharge opening spaced angularly from the discharge opening of the bottom and leading from the compartment to the exterior, a combined measuring and ejecting wheel rotatably mounted in said compartment and having anumber of pockets therein adapted to pass under the discharge opening of the bottom and over the discharge opening of said means, said wheel having ratchet teeth on its periphery, a pawl in the form of an arcuate band interposed between the periphery of the wheel and said means and having one end engageable with the ratchet teeth, a handle connected to the pawl, said means having a slot through which said handle projects, and a second pawl cooperable with said ratchet teeth fol]; preventing retrograde movement of said w eel.

ROBERT H. WENTORF. 

